Drug interactions
Buprenorphine buccal + Oxazepam
Severity: Major
Buprenorphine buccal and Oxazepam: major interaction.
Last updated Sources: US FDA label
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Combining a benzodiazepine with buprenorphine can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. Regulators have issued boxed warnings for opioid-benzodiazepine combinations.
What this interaction means in plain words
Buprenorphine buccal and Oxazepam can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for.
Why it happens
Additive CNS and respiratory depression via opioid receptor agonism and GABA-A potentiation.
What to do
Reserve concurrent use for patients without alternatives, using the lowest doses and shortest duration. Monitor respiratory status and sedation, and counsel patient and caregivers on warning signs.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Does the benefit of taking both outweigh the risk in my case?
- Do I need any blood test, ECG or other check while on both?
- What early warning signs should I watch for, and what should I do if they appear?
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References
Other interactions of Oxazepam
- Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates + Oxazepam Contraindicated
- Oxazepam + Sodium oxybate Contraindicated
- Alfentanil + Oxazepam Major
- Amobarbital + Oxazepam Major
- Baclofen + Oxazepam Major
- Belladonna and opium + Oxazepam Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Buprenorphine buccal with Oxazepam?
MediHelp rates the interaction as major. Buprenorphine buccal and Oxazepam can interact in a way that may be serious. Using them together is sometimes necessary, but it needs a deliberate decision by the prescriber, a plan for monitoring, and clear advice on the warning signs to watch for. Combining a benzodiazepine with buprenorphine can cause profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. Regulators have issued boxed warnings for opioid-benzodiazepine combinations.
How serious is the interaction between Buprenorphine buccal and Oxazepam?
MediHelp rates it major, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Reserve concurrent use for patients without alternatives, using the lowest doses and shortest duration. Monitor respiratory status and sedation, and counsel patient and caregivers on warning signs.
What other medicines interact with Oxazepam?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Oxazepam with, for example, Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates, Sodium oxybate, Alfentanil. The full list is on the Oxazepam page.
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